Two dead, three hurt as jirga turns violent

SSP Malir says jirga in Memon Goth was called over a marriage dispute;
injured include two women; one person arrested, eight others still at large

Karachi

One of our country’s many archaic practices – the jirga (tribal council) system – claimed two more lives on Tuesday as a gathering in Memon Goth called to sort out a marriage-related matter ended in a full-blown gunfight.

Along with the two fatalities, three members of a family including two women also suffered bullet wounds.  

According to SSP Malir Rao Anwaar, eight people are still wanted by the police for their involvement in yesterday’s shooting, with one person who was caught on the spot having been handed over to police by area residents.

The officer, while confirming that the jirga had been convened over a marriage-related issue, said both groups are natives of Balochistan residing in the city.

All the injured –  identified as Muhammad Bukhsh, 30, his wife Zareena, Karam Khan, 35, his wife Jameela, 30, and Sharal – were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Of the five, Muhammad Bukhsh and Karam Khan passed away.

The person arrested after the clash was identified as Sadiq and a weapon used in the shootout was said to have been found in his possession.

While jirgas remain a predominantly rural phenomenon, cases such as yesterday’s violent clash have been frequently reported in the country’s urban centres as well.

In August last year, a man, Bakht Sher, and his brother, Anwar Sher, were arrested for the murder of Bakht’s teenage daughter and her alleged paramour in Karachi. 

PIB Colony SHO Sohail had told The News that the bodies of Bakhtiari, 16, and her paramour Ibrahim, 18, were found on July 15, 2015 at separate places, within the jurisdictions of the New Town police and the PIB Colony police, respectively. 

Investigation officer Muhammad Amir Marwat said the police had arrested Bakht Sher and Anwer Sher, but 13 more people involved in murdering the couple, including Mohammad Anwer, Habib and Fazal Rasool, were at large. 

Bakht Sher told police during interrogation that after learning about his daughter’s ‘affair’ with Ibrahim, he called a jirga on July 12, 2015 in which 15 elders of the community participated. 

The couple was sentenced to death by the jirga and stabbed with knives right there. Later, their bodies were dumped at separate places to misguide police. 

Bakht Sher said he had given permission to the jirga to kill the couple after which its participants stabbed them. Police had said Bakht, his brother and the participants of the jirga had arrived in Karachi from Kala Dhaka in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and were living in Old Sabzi Mandi and Orangi Town. 

 

12-year-old killed

A 12-year-old boy died from a stray bullet fired during a mugging bid in Garden police limits.

As per police officials, two robbers held up Abdul Raheem, 26, in the Ramswami area and tried to shoot him when he resisted their demand to hand over his valuables.

Their bullets, police said, missed Raheem but struck 12-year-old Anas, son of Khalil, who was standing at a little distance. The boy was taken to the Civil Hospital in critical condition but breathed his last during treatment.

 

Target killing

Muhammad Alam, 45, was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside his residence on Hawkesbay Road.

Police said two men on a motorcycle targeted Alam with a 9mm pistol and he died during treatment at the CHK. Officials added that the victim had a criminal record and believed the murder was drive by a personal enmity.

 

Woman found dead

The body of 30-year-old Kiran, wife of Kashif, was brought to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospitals where doctors were still trying to ascertain the cause of death.

According to the case investigation officer, Malik Riyasat, the victim and her husband had an argument in the morning, after which Kashif had left their house located in Liaquabatad No 9.

He said the woman’s body bore no marks of violence or torture, although the official report from a medico-legal officer is yet to be released. The police, he added, had detained Kashif for interrogation.